Diabetes in the long run. My personal experience of what it's like to be a type 1 diabetic runner and triathlete.

Thought for the Day

Saturday, February 10, 2007

Pemberton Trail 50K 2007

The average person might think it unwise to run one's first ultramarathon race 6 days after running a marathon. It worked out okay for me, though.It's refreshing to run with no goal other than to feel good the whole race. I had told my friends that my goal would be to finish in less than 5:30, and I would be happy with anything under 6. That turned out to be pretty easy.Weather was great. It was overcast most of the day, but it was still warm. The sun came through toward the end of the second loop, but it was blocked out again after I finished.I turned my ankle in the first mile. The trail was still a little crowded, and I couldn't always see the ground. I stepped in a rut, turned my ankle way too far to the inside, hopped a few steps, limped a few yards, and kept running as well as I could. It felt okay after a mile, but was sore later.This race is two loops of the Pemberton Trail, which is rolling hills the whole way. No mountains, but lots of up and down, some of it quite steep. I actually enjoyed it. The difference between this and the Desert Classic Marathon was like night and day.The first loop went well. I thought it was probably too fast. Toward the end of the loop, I saw friends of mine, Clint and Jen, who hadn't run a marathon the week before, and should be going a lot faster than me. I knew if I was with them, I was going too fast.I caught up with them at the half way aid station, but stayed there for like 7 minutes. I knew if I could see my friends ahead, I would probably try to keep up. It was better to let them go.The second loop felt good starting out. I passed 20 miles, "the wall," with no ill effects except for a problem I've had that comes and goes in the ball of my right foot. The trail is rocky in that section, and it was tough on that foot.After I left the aid station out there, though, the trail was more dirt and less rock, and the pain subsided.I passed Clint at close to 23 miles. He was cramping and having a rough time. He caught up with me at the last aid station, 26 miles, the marathon milestone, and thought I would run in with him.I felt so good though, I took off and ran some of the faster miles of the day. I passed a few people in the last couple of miles, and felt strong.I was very happy with my finish time of just over 5 hours. It gives me a nice round number to shoot for in the next one. And I'm sure I will run more 50K trail races.